Dual Keroma shows how happy he is to be at Wenty

By Jeff Collerson

Veteran Dual Keroma, who turns five in June, produced a personal best 29.61s to relegate super speedster Pindari Express to third placing in Saturday night's Wentworth Park Free-For-All.

Jumping second behind Canya Star, the Susan Pitstock-trained Dual Keroma took the lead at the first turn and won by four lengths in time which was .03s inside his previous best Wenty figures.

Dual Keroma is trained in fire-ravaged Mangrove Mountain, and Pitstock said after the race: "We had three emergency warnings this week and were packed up and ready to leave.

"Fortunately it didn't come to that and the conditions obviously didn't affect Dual Keroma.

"He loves Wentworth Park and sure enough, when we arrived tonight he jumped out of the car wagging his tail and bouncing around, letting us know how glad he was to be back here.

"His win at Gosford on Tuesday night was a good effort because it was his first run for three weeks and he is not really partial to that track.

"But I wanted to give him a good hit-out in preparation for tonight's race and as it was a fourth and fifth grade he looked well placed.''

Pindari Express did not begin as well as he did when he defeated Tennessee Tiger in 29.68 at Wentworth Park last week but was probably never going to beat Dual Keroma on Saturday night.

"Dual Keroma had box four tonight but having a vacant box in three was a big help to him,'' Pitstock said.

Only other dog to break 30s on Saturday was the Owen Langley-trained Poacher, who made full use of box one to lead throughout in a 520m fourth grade in 29.95.

"There was not a lot of pace on his outside and he loves the inside box,'' Langley said later.

Consistent Street Brawler took his record to five wins and three seconds from his past nine starts with an all-the-way win in a 520m fifth grade heat, clocking 30.20.

Street Brawler had box one and after jumping cleanly, secured a dream run at the first turn when She's Good Bro, who had come out fast from box two, ran off the track.

Trainer Mick Clayton said: "Street Brawler had a good draw because while he uses a bit of the track himself, She's Good Bro gave him plenty of room.

"Although he is not strong at the finish, Street Brawler has good early pace and is a keen chaser.

"In any case, I would rather have a dog that went quick early and got a bit tired than one which was slow early and was always doing his best work at the finish.''

Newcastle trainer Sarah O'Sullivan has only Lollipop Liz in work but that was enough to give her a winner with her first starter at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.

Lollipop Liz, who was expected to be the pacemaker, missed the jump but stormed home from fifth on the back straight to run down pacemaker Djay Holden by a head in 30.20s.

Lollipop Liz showed good track sense, cutting to the rails at the first turn but then switching to the outside in the home straight to snatch victory on the line.

Tiny Alpine Little notched her 11th win and her fourth at WP with an easy win in a 520m fifth grade heat, clocking 30.19s.

The Tracey Kovacic-trained greyhound, who tips the scales at a little over 23kg, missed the jump on Saturday but swept around her rivals to lead clearly going through the catching pen.

"She had box six tonight but jumps better when she draws odd numbered boxes,'' Kovacic said later.

"If a big dog crowds her she is in trouble but if she is left alone this little girl can really run.''